Does Formula Make Babies Smarter?

A new study on formula published in the journal Child Development is being questioned by some breastfeeding advocates. The study found that infants who were given formula that was supplemented with DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) did better on cognitive tests than infants who were given formula without it. While the study didn't make the claim that DHA-enhanced formula is better than breast milk, some experts think the study is a marketing ploy to get new moms to feed their babies formula rather than breast milk (which is a natural source of DHA, among other things).

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Doctors are concerned that this study is merely the "first step" toward finding a replacement for breast milk (previous studies have shown that kids who were breast fed have higher IQs than those reared on formula). One pediatrician, interviewed by abcnews.com, said that merely adding DHA to formula wouldn't make it better than breast milk, but that many of her patients are believing the hype.

The formula used in the study was given to the researchers for free by a formula manufacturer.